Ocular manifestations of immunologic and rheumatologic inflammatory disorders

Exciting new discoveries into the pathophysiological mechanisms of immunologic and inflammatory ocular disease continue. The genetic locus for susceptibility to Behçet's disease and Sjögrens syndrome has been further characterized. Important guidelines for serial slit-lamp examinations for the early detection of iridocyclitis in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is suggested. In ocular allergy, further investigation of the interaction between mast cell and eosinophil sheds more light on the pathophysiological mechanism of vernal keratoconjunctivitis and vernal corneal ulcers. Unusual manifestations of Behçet's disease, sarcoidosis, scleritis, and Wegener's granulomatosis are reported. A possible pathophysiological mechanism for lacrimal gland destruction in Sjögrens syndrome is presented.